TOLL-GATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1921, Page 6

TOLL-GATES.

THE COMMITTEE’S ENQUIRIES. EVIDENCE AT STRATFORD. The departmental committee which is inquiring into the question of toll-gates in Taranaki, sat at the Stratford Courthouse on Wednesday. The committee was composed of Messrs. G. T. Murray (inspecting engineer) in the chair, H. H. Sharp (staff engineer) and T. M. Ball (district engineer). Mr. E. Walter, chairman of the Stratford County Council, said that his county had had a toll-gate at Waipuku since 1915. At that time the road between Stratford and Waipuku was in a very bad state, and the toll-gate money which had since been spent on the road had been well spent. Of the nine miles of Mountain Road in the Stratford County, 54 miles had been tar-sealed. A total of £10,870 had been collected in the last six years, the amount collected last year being £2612. The cost of collecting was 10 per cent, of the receipts. The cost of tar-sealing and widening the road had been £l6OO. Whilst the road was only 10 feet wide before, it was now over 18 feet in places. The maintenance was very light, and some of the money had been spent in widening the road where it was not tar-sealed. The road had been made safe from Cornwall Road to Waipuku, but if there had been no tollgate it could never have been kept in order. Since the toll-gate had been in operation the side roads had been greatly improved. He would not care.to say that the county was in a good financial position. The increased traffic prevented this. The side roads were costing more than ever they did. A loan had been raised to tar-seal East Road and two miles had been done. A sum of £90,000 had been authorised to be raised for all the roads except the main roads. If toll-gates were abolished and assistance to maintain roads was required he would suggest a higher [subsidy on rates collected. Some counties would need more assistance than others.

Mr. J. W. McMillan, Mayor of Stratford, stated that bis council protested [ against the erection of further toll-gates, and urged that as soon as possible those already in existence should be abolished. Improvements to main arterial roads should be made by loans raised by the local bodies, subsidised by the Go ven inignt, or else the Government should control all arterial roads, local bodies paying a fair proportion of the cost by means of a special rate. Under (he present- toilgate system counties had undue advanta;. ? over certain boroughs. Stratford borough had spent £15,000 on Broadway, but could not erect a toll-gate, and received no Government subsidy.

Mr. C. J. Belcher, chairman of the Eltham County Council, said that his county's toll-gates were put up about fourteen years ago. one three miles out of Elihai... and the other at Riverlea. They could do nothing with the Elfchain—Opunake Road v.hich was then costing £3OO a mile in upkeep. There were sixteen miles of road to maintain. His council was the first in the North Island to go in for tar-sealing, and at (he present time it could not maintain the road without the money from th? toll-gate. which had reduced the maintenance from £3OO to £l5O. Mr. A. Corkill, chairman of the Inglewood County Council, said that for years (he feeling of the county had been against toll-gates. His county preferred an t increated rate. This completed the Stratford sitting.